The scandal engulfing Cardinal Keith O’Brien has left the wider Roman Catholic
Church reeling, the most senior Catholic cleric in England has acknowledged.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, who is preparing to join talks in Rome on the choice of the next Pope, said the allegations were “very damaging” not just for Cardinal O’Brien but for the wider church.

He said he hoped that the claims of “inappropriate” behaviour with younger priests would not destroy the Church’s attempts to get its message across on issues such as gay marriage, which it opposes.

Speaking in London before departing for Rome, Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor said there needs to be “renewal and reform” in the Church which he said had been “afflicted” by “grave” scandals around the world.

He also said here was an urgent need for the “the Pope’s own house to be put in order” in the wake of the revelations of in-fighting in the Vatican administration exposed by the Vatileaks scandal.

And, while praising Pope Benedict, who steps down on Thursday, he said the next Pope would have to be “more collegial” – rather than ruling the 1.2 billion-strong catholic Church single-handed.

Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor, who took parting the 2005 conclave which elected Benedict XVI, will not have a vote next mo nth as he recently passed the age of 80. He said he was “very sorry” that because of the timing his successor as leader of the Church in England and Wales, the Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, had not yet been made a Cardinal.

Speaking about Cardinal O’Brien, he said: “It has been very sad.

“I think what has happened both for him and for the Church in Scotland has been very damaging.”

He also emphasised that Cardinal O'Brien denies the allegations.

Several other Cardinals have been facing calls to stay away from the Conclave because of questions over whether they helped cover up child abuse by clergy but had insisted that it was their duty as cardinals to go.

But in the wake of Cardinal O’Brien’s announcement that he would stay away to avoid becoming a distraction, there have been renewed calls on them to do likewise.

Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor said: “That would be up to them, up to their own conscience, as to whether they decide not to go to the Conclave.”

Speaking about his hopes for the next pontificate, he said: "The new Pope needs to be a bridge builder ... that means with his fellow bishops but also within the Curia the people the Pope immediately turns to.

“And in that there is no doubt today that there needs to be renewal of the church, reform of the Church and especially also of governance.

"How is this next Pope going to govern the Church? A lot of the bishops and Cardinals think that it has got to be done perhaps in a more collegial way, in other words that it’s not just the Pope who rules the Church it’s the Pope with the bishops.

"A Pope is essential as a centre of unity and truth he also cannot rule the Church without a real association with the bishops.

"As you know there have been troubles in recent years, and scandals.

"These have got to be addressed and especially the Pope’s own house has to be put in order."